Striking beacon in landscape of locks, dykes and bridges

The control building of the Volkeraksluizen (Volkerak Locks) is a rather modest construction in an imposing landscape of locks, dikes and bridges. Nevertheless, no strange interventions were needed to prevent the building being immersed in this visual tour de force. Two starting points were of major importance. The first was that the building had to enter a relationship with that landscape instead of attempting to extract itself from it. Furthermore it is a logical translation of the functional demands that the programme brings and automatically lead to a recognizable, expressive architecture.

The new control building was needed as a component of the comprehensive renovation of the Volkeraksluizen which are part of the busiest shipping routes of Europe, between the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. The functional structure of the control building was self-evident. The lower part of the building seemed the logical location for the technical areas. This has largely been incorporated into the wall that is built out of retaining blocks and a grass roof. On top of this is a two-storey glass volume. The lower of these storeys contains the entrance, the office, a meeting room and a pantry. Stairs and a lift lead to the upper floor with the operational area. Here are the panels with the operating controls for the locks.

The elements that that give the control building such a characteristic appearance also issue from functional logic. The forward protruding façades ensure that the view of the lock-keepers is not obstructed by reflections in the glass. The striking ‘tropical roof’ is clad on the outside with stainless steel and with wooden planks on the lower part. It resembles a loose element built over the glass box – a gigantic sunblind to prevent it becoming too hot inside. The roof is thus a part of a smart climate system in which the water from the lock is also used: for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter.

Olof Koekebakker (from the monography DP6. Ten Years of Architecture)